The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), has recently rejected a proposal for residential development on private forest land in Walshet, Thane, Maharashtra. The FAC's decision aligns with the consolidated guidelines of the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, which prohibit the use of forest land for non-site-specific activities, such as residential colonies. The FAC clarified that although exceptions have been made in areas like Uttarakhand and Goa, Maharashtra's proposal was rejected due to strict regulations. The FAC suggested that any future proposals must provide detailed justifications.
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), recently rejected a proposal for residential projects on private forest lands. The proposal was for a residential colony to be built on 10.685 hectares of private forest land in Walshet, Thane, Maharashtra. Despite the state's nodal officer strongly advocating for the project, the FAC declined it based on consolidated guidelines under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. These guidelines specify that the use of forest areas for industries, residential colonies, educational institutions, and rehabilitation projects is prohibited as a general rule, unless on non-forest land.
The FAC clarified that the central government does not entertain proposals for the diversion of forest land for residential or dwelling houses. However, there are exceptions in areas like Uttarakhand's Mussoorie-Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) and Goa, where residential constructions on private forest lands are allowed, provided certain conditions are met. In both these regions, the maximum allowed built-up area for such projects is limited to 250 square metres.
The Maharashtra nodal officer pointed out that the FAC had previously considered such proposals on a case-by-case basis. However, the FAC made it clear that with the recent update to the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980, regional offices no longer review these proposals. The FAC reiterated that the rules and guidelines outlined under the Act must be followed without exceptions. The FAC also recommended that if the Maharashtra government wishes to submit future proposals for the diversion of private forest land, it should include comprehensive justifications, particularly regarding site specificity, for consideration by the Union environment ministry.
The Forest Advisory Committee's decision to reject the proposal for a residential colony in Walshet, Thane, reflects a strict adherence to environmental protection guidelines under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980. While certain exceptions exist in other states like Uttarakhand and Goa, Maharashtra's proposal did not meet the necessary criteria. The FAC emphasised that any future requests for forest land diversion must follow established protocols and be accompanied by detailed justifications. The ruling underscores the importance of safeguarding forest areas and aligning development projects with national environmental regulations.
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
